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Key Principles and Standards
Key Principles and Standards for Teaching Social Studies Standards The standards for Social Studies pedagogy are outlined in the published report "National Standards for Social Studies Teachers" by the National Council for the Social Studies. The National Standards for Social Studies Teachers were developed initially by a task force of National Council for the Social Studies and approved by the NCSS Board of Directors in April, 1997. They were revised by a subsequent task force, and that revision was approved by the NCSS Board of Directors in September 2002. The standards are intended to assure that (1) social studies teachers possess the knowledge, capabilities, and dispositions associated with the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the disciplines that make up the social studies and (2) that they are able to create learning experiences that make these aspects of subject matter meaningful for learners. They are directed toward the initial licensure of beginning teachers. The subject matter standards are of three types: thematic standards, disciplinary standards, and programmatic standards for initial licensure. The full report can be viewed here. Under the pedagogical standards set forth by the National Council for the Social Studies, the needs of culturally and lingistically diverse are addressed by requiring that social studies teachers should possess the knowledge, capabilities, and dispositions to create at the appropriate school levels learning experiences that fit the different approaches to learning of diverse learners. Thematic Standards - Under each of these standards as published are expectations for teachers, students and how these standards are to be applied by the schools. * CULTURE AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY Social studies teachers should possess the knowledge, capabilities, and dispositions to organize and provide instruction at the appropriate school level for the study of culture and cultural diversity. * TIME, CONTINUITY, AND CHANGE Social studies teachers should possess the knowledge, capabilities, and dispositions to organize and provide instruction at the appropriate school level for the study of Time, Continuity, and Change. * PEOPLE, PLACES, AND ENVIRONMENTS Social studies teachers should possess the knowledge, capabilities, and dispositions to organize and provide instruction at the appropriate school level for the study of People, Places, and Environments. * INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT AND IDENTITY Social studies teachers should possess the knowledge, capabilities, and dispositions to organize and provide instruction at the appropriate school level for the study of Individual Development and Identity. * INDIVIDUALS, GROUPS, AND INSTITUTIONS Social studies teachers should possess the knowledge, capabilities, and dispositions to organize and provide instruction at the appropriate school level for the study of interactions among Individuals, Groups, and Institutions. * POWER, AUTHORITY, AND GOVERNANCE Social studies teachers should possess the knowledge, capabilities, and dispositions to organize and provide instruction at the appropriate school level for the study of Power, Authority, and Governance. * PRODUCTION, DISTRIBUTION, AND CONSUMPTION Social studies teachers should possess the knowledge, capabilities, and dispositions to organize and provide instruction at the appropriate school level for the study of how people organize for the Production, Distribution, and Consumption of goods and services. * SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND SOCIETY Social studies teachers should possess the knowledge, capabilities, and dispositions to organize and provide instruction at the appropriate school level for the study of science, technology, and society. * GLOBAL CONNECTIONS Social studies teachers should possess the knowledge, capabilities, and dispositions to provide instruction at the appropriate school level for the study of Global Connections and Interdependence. * CIVIC IDEALS AND PRACTICES Social studies teachers should possess the knowledge, capabilities, and dispositions to organize and provide instruction at the appropriate school level for the study of Civic Ideals and Practices. DISCIPLINARY STANDARDS - Under each of these standards as published are expectations for teachers, students and how these standards are to be applied by the schools. * HISTORY Teachers who are licensed to teach history should possess the knowledge, capabilities, and dispositions to organize and provide instruction at the appropriate school level for the study of history. * GEOGRAPHY Teachers who are licensed to teach geography at all school levels should possess the knowledge, capabilities, and dispositions to organize and provide instruction at the appropriate school level for the study of geography. * CIVICS AND GOVERNMENT Teachers who are licensed to teach civics and/or government at all school levels should possess the knowledge, capabilities, and dispositions to organize and provide instruction at the appropriate school level for the study of civics and government. * ECONOMICS Teachers who are licensed to teach economics at all school levels should possess the knowledge, capabilities, and dispositions to organize and provide instruction at the appropriate school level for the study of economics. * PSYCHOLOGY Teachers who are licensed to teach psychology at all school levels should possess the knowledge, capabilities, and dispositions to organize and provide instruction at the appropriate school level for the study of psychology. PROGRAMMATIC STANDARDS FOR INITIAL LICENSURE - Under each of these standards as published are expectations for teachers, students and how these standards are to be applied by the schools. * SUBSTANTIAL INSTRUCTION IN ACADEMIC AREAS WITHIN THE SOCIAL STUDIES FIELD Institutions preparing social studies teachers should provide and expect prospective social studies teachers to complete subject matter content courses (history/social science) that include United States history, world history (including both western and non-western civilizations), political science (including U.S. Government), economics, geography, and behavioral sciences. * COURSE OR COURSES ON TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES Institutions preparing social studies teachers should provide and require prospective social studies teachers to complete a course or courses that focus on pedagogical content knowledge that deals specifically with the nature of the social studies and with ideas, strategies, and techniques for teaching social studies at the appropriate licensure level. * QUALIFIED SOCIAL STUDIES FACULTY Institutions preparing social studies teachers should provide faculty in all components of the program who are recognized as (a) exemplary teachers, (b) scholars in the fields of social studies and social studies education, and © informed about middle and secondary school classrooms and teaching. * CLINICAL SCHOOL EXPERIENCES IN SOCIAL STUDIES SETTINGS Institutions preparing social studies teachers should provide and expect prospective social studies teachers to complete multiple clinical experiences in middle and/or secondary school social studies classrooms. These experiences should begin early in a teacher candidate’s professional program and culminate in an integrative capstone experience (student teaching) of a substantial amount of time (typically full time for a complete semester). Both experiences should be closely supervised by qualified professionals. * GENERAL STUDIES Institutions preparing social studies teachers should provide and expect prospective social studies teachers to complete, in addition to professional and major courses, general arts and science courses that reach across several areas of study, including language arts, humanities, languages, mathematics, physical sciences, and technology. PEDAGOGICAL STANDARDS * LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT Social studies teachers should possess the knowledge, capabilities, and dispositions to provide learning opportunities at the appropriate school levels that support learners’ intellectual, social, and personal development. * DIFFERENCES IN LEARNING STYLES Social studies teachers should possess the knowledge, capabilities, and dispositions to create at the appropriate school levels learning experiences that fit the different approaches to learning of diverse learners. * CRITICAL THINKING, PROBLEM SOLVING, AND PERFORMANCE SKILLS Social studies teachers should possess the knowledge, capabilities, and dispositions to use at the appropriate school levels a variety of instructional strategies to encourage student development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills. * ACTIVE LEARNING AND MOTIVATION Social studies teachers should possess the knowledge, capabilities, and dispositions to create at the appropriate school levels learning environments that encourage social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation. * INQUIRY, COLLABORATION, AND SUPPORTIVE CLASSROOM INTERACTION Social studies teachers should possess the knowledge, capabilities, and dispositions to use at the appropriate school levels verbal, nonverbal, and media communication techniques that foster active inquiry, collaboration, and supportive interaction in the classroom. * PLANNING INSTRUCTION Social studies teachers should possess the knowledge, capabilities, and dispositions to plan instruction for the appropriate school levels based on understanding of subject matter, students, the community, and curriculum goals. * ASSESSMENT Social studies teachers should possess the knowledge, capabilities, and dispositions to use formal and informal assessment strategies at the appropriate school levels to evaluate and ensure the continuous intellectual, social, and physical development of learners. They should be able to assess student learning using various assessment formats, including performance assessment, fixed response, open-ended questioning, and portfolio strategies. * REFLECTION AND PROFESSIONAL GROWTH Social studies teachers should possess the knowledge, capabilities, and dispositions to develop as reflective practitioners and continuous learners. * PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP Social studies teachers should possess the knowledge, capabilities, and dispositions to foster cross-subject matter collaboration and other positive relationships with school colleagues, and positive associations with parents and others in the larger community to support student learning and well-being. Citation NCSS National Standards for Social Studies Teachers. (n.d.). National Council for the Social Studies. Retrieved June 16, 2014, from http://www.socialstudies.org/standards/teacherstandards